'He's run some cracking races and has plenty of experience' - can Path D'Oroux finally open his account over fences?

The two-mile novice chase division in Britain has been struggling for a while and perhaps the time has come for this race and others of its kind to become handicaps.

Four of the five declared runners are trained in Ireland, while sole British contender Noble Anthem is rated only 115 over fences. Were this a novice handicap he would receive 29lb from standard-setting seven-year-old Path D’Oroux. Here Noble Anthem must give him 5lb.

Path D’Oroux’s trainer Gavin Cromwell is always worth respecting with his Cheltenham raids and has an impressive 26 per cent strike-rate at the track over the last five seasons (+£35.70 level-stakes profit).

Although Path D’Oroux is yet to make a positive contribution to those numbers, as his second-season novice status infers, he was a cracking third in the Grand Annual at the festival and that is his best performance on Racing Post Ratings.

The Grand Annual would make sense as a long-term aim for Path D’Oroux and perhaps the rest can make a race of it here if he needs this after 176 days away. He turns up after a different preparation from Cromwell’s 2023 winner My Mate Mozzie, who had been on the go in the summer and autumn.

The best alternative is San Salvador rather than former festival winner Jazzy Matty, who will find things happening much quicker than they were in the 2m5f Sligo contest he picked up this month, on this big drop in trip.

San Salvador captured a soft Grade 3 at Roscommon in September, but is going the right way as a chaser and could have plenty more to offer in this sphere for Joseph O’Brien.
Analysis by Robbie Wilders

What they say

Cian Collins, trainer of Jazzy Matty
He has taken well to fences and looks a natural over them. It's a drop in trip but he won over two miles at Cheltenham before over hurdles. He should be fine over the trip as he's a quick jumper. He did it well at Sligo and he just does what he has to do, so hopefully there's more left in him.

Joseph O'Brien, trainer of San Salvador
It's a competitive race but it looks a good spot for him. He's been training well and is in good form since his win at Roscommon and we think he has a live chance.

Adrian Keatley, trainer of Noble Anthem
He's been in good form since his last run and, although he's the outsider of the field, he pinged around Sedgefield and didn't put a foot wrong. He did it easily, so there's no reason why we shouldn't let him take his chance here.

Gavin Cromwell, trainer of Path D'Oroux
He's run some cracking races and has plenty of experience over fences. He has no penalty, so this is an ideal race for him to start back, and hopefully the experience will stand to him.
Reporting by Liam Headd

Read more Cheltenham previews:

2.25 Cheltenham: 'She has a very bright future' - who rates his chances highly in the handicap chase?

3.00 Cheltenham: Can Gale Mahler continue her remarkable run or will a short break have stalled her progress?

3.35 Cheltenham: 'We go there very hopeful' - key quotes and analysis for the amateur riders' handicap chase